A clarification statement from Archbishop George of Cyprus was released by the Archdiocese of Cyprus today, Friday, June 8, 2024, subsequent to his meeting with the President of Montenegro.
With this statement, the Archbishop wanted to clarify his statement yesterday that “may have been subject to misinterpretations and led to incorrect impressions.”
The Archbishop made it clear that “For the Church of Cyprus, there is no question of the autocephaly of the Church in Montenegro, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Serbia. Such matters do not fall within our jurisdiction.”
Please read the statement issued by Archbishop George of Cyprus:
I would like to provide clarification regarding a statement I made yesterday, as it may have been subject to misinterpretations and led to incorrect impressions:
We did not engage in any discussion with the President of Montenegro, nor did we address any issues concerning the Autocephalous Church of Serbia or the local church authorities in Montenegro.
What likely led to a misinterpretation was my response to a journalist’s inquiry regarding our relations with the Montenegrin Orthodox Church. I explicitly stated that our relations are with the autocephalous Churches, emphasizing that the Church in Montenegro is not autocephalous. With this statement, I did not imply, nor do I imply, that we expect or support an Autocephalous Church in Montenegro.
For the Church of Cyprus, there is no question of the autocephaly of the Church in Montenegro, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Serbia. Such matters do not fall within our jurisdiction.
